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I think I'm going to have to supplement :(

mommatotwo2mommatotwo2 member
in Breastfeeding
We've made it through so many challenges and my LO will be 9 months old tomorrow. I currently have 10 oz in the freezer. She's down to three, 3 oz bottles plus 3 solids meals at daycare and a nursing session in the morning, before bed, and 1-2 times in the middle of the night. First of all, I'm not sure if that's enough food. She was getting three, 4 oz bottles at daycare and 2 solids meals and having her 3rd solids meal at home. We changed that up a little bit, because my supply has taken a major dip. I started a new job a month ago and I am only able to pump twice in the 9 hours I am there, I can not add a 3rd pump, or at least, I don't feel like I can, I don't really have a space to pump, I'm ducking into conference rooms and empty offices as I can find them, I know they "have" to provide a space for me, but they really don't have one. Plus it takes me about 30 minutes to set up, pump, clean up, and I feel like 1.5 hours of pumping a day, plus time to eat lunch, is excessive. I get 3-4 oz each time I pump. So by the end of the day I have 6-8 ounces.  I have to try and stay up late and pump 2-4 more ounces just to get her 10 ounces for the day and I'm not usually getting it and have to pull from my quickly dwindling freezer stash. I used to be able to pump first thing in the morning, opposite the side she would nurse on, but I think she is reverse cycling because she has been waking up and wanting to basically nurse while we bed-share from 3-530 am every day.

So...I don't really know what to do. We're so close to our goal, but still so far away. 3 more months. I don't want to supplement, but I also don't want my baby to not be getting enough to eat.

What can I do?
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Re: I think I'm going to have to supplement :(

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  • SarelnadSarelnad member
    Sounds like you've been killing yourself to continue nursing. I think that takes a lot of dedication. You should be proud of yourself. If you have to supplement that's okay. The workforce really isn't designed for the Breastfeeding mom. It's really unfair.
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  • MomtoHMomtoH member
    Have you tried something like More Milk Plus to boost your supply?  How many times is she nursing overnight?  If she's nursing overnight plus having her bottles I wouldn't be too worried.

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  • CLLDLLCLLDLL member
    I agree with PPs that you've done an awesome job!! , and if you have to supplement it's not the end of the world.

    That being said, if you really really want to avoid it, I think it's possible.  I too had a supply dip somewhere between 6 and 9 months.  I added a pumping session before work on the drive in or after LO went to bed at night.  I nursed as much as I could when I was with LO to trigger extra milk production.  I drank at least 100 oz. of water a day, every day.  I ate oatmeal & flaxseed every day. When I had three days off in a row I tried power pumping (pump 10 min. rest 10, repeat twice) at the same time every day for three days.  

    All of that was enough to get me to a year.  At that point I dropped a pumping session at work, and fully expected my supply to tank.  It didn't.  We are still nursing 3-4 times a day with no sign of a dwindleing supply at 17 months.  

    So don't give up hope if you don't want to!
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  • MyaflowersMyaflowers member
    I agree with PP. Pumping at work has been the hardest thing for me as a mom. We had to supplement some when I wasn't able to pump as often as I needed to. You've done great to make it this far! Try not to beat yourself up about it! Formula is fine, especially since LO is already on solids!
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  • mommatotwo2mommatotwo2 member
    Thanks everyone for the suggestions and support. @theresat858, I do often eat and pump, however, I sometimes have lunchtime obligations that I can not pump during.
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  • MyaflowersMyaflowers member
    mommatotwo2 said:
    Thanks everyone for the suggestions and support. @theresat858, I do often eat and pump, however, I sometimes have lunchtime obligations that I can not pump during.
    This. Not everyone has their lunch hour free to pump. I often have meetings at lunch. It was hard to always have time to pump. I probably wouldn't be adding any sessions this far in. I was so fed up with pumping by 9 months! Good luck with whatever you decide!
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